The Introvert Entrepreneur by Beth Buelow
Amplify your strengths and create success on your own terms in ten steps
Are you an Introvert Entrepreneur? I am. And naturally as a result, I was curious about this book, The Introvert Entrepreneur by Beth Buelow. In particular, the sub-title ‘amplify your strengths’ caught my eye. I’m big on working with your strengths profile. And, the strength of being an introvert was a neat twist on familiar territory.
I’ve talked about strengths here and here…
What is an Introvert?
The first point to clarify is: What is an introvert? The definition I use for myself is that I prefer to be on my own to recharge. The thought of being out with people at the end of a long day is not something I look forward to. I’d much rather curl up in front of the TV or a good book.
Please don’t equate being social with being an introvert. They are not the same thing. I can be social and enthusiastic too. It’s just not where I gain my energy from and I need a lot less of it compared to an extrovert who thrives on being social.
The Introvert Entrepreneur by @introvertcoach is a great read for any introvert and business coach
My Introvert Entrepreneur Business Review
To review my business from the ‘introvert’ perspective was interesting… It made a few things that I just did make a lot of sense…
For instance:
- It’s one reason why I read a lot – I can retreat into my head to consider ideas.
- It’s why I write a lot – this is a way to internally process what I’m thinking. In contrast, an extrovert would typically prefer to talk it through with someone else.
- It’s why I avoid networking events. They usually suit extroverts much better so they can sprout their small talk and grab a buzz from interacting with others. For me, this zaps my energy.
- It’s why public speaking is okay for me – I can be in public and talk with people and not get too close.
- It’s why I avoid small talk. All that internal processing means introverts often favour deeper thinking.
- It’s why I mostly work alone.
- It’s why I love content marketing because I can consider my material in advance and keep my distance when I publish it.
Introverts and Projects
With my interest in Project Passion running high, this deserves a special mention…
Introverts are prone to doing lots of research, and sometimes avoid taking action – particularly if it involves engaging with other people. They are also more likely to validate their progress internally which means they can revel in their own inner confidence or fall over due to their internal doubts.
In contrast, Extroverts are more like to talk to everyone and this can become their way of avoiding doing what’s needed. They also are more likely to seek external validation so they can fall into the trap of giving away their power and not follow their own instincts.
A Neat Niche
The Introvert and the Entrepreneur is a great niche market to focus on. And, it’s topical. Entrepreneurship is a hot topic right now and this angle caters to half the population.
It also picks up the groundswell around this theme of ‘quiet’ leaders led by Susan Cain.
My Experience
The Introvert Entrepreneur is filled with the usual business advice. And, it has a wonderful spin on how introverts might go about it. If you’re new to business or new to exploring what it means to be an introvert this is an excellent book. Read it to save time making extrovert mistakes that don’t fit you.
I’ve been in business for a while so a lot of the content and examples in this book were not overly new to me. And, it was confirming. It was reassuring that I was mostly doing things consistent with my nature.
The Key Take-Away
My key take-away from reading The Introvert Entrepreneur is: Know Thyself. This is one of my favourite pieces of advice. Everyone out there will tell you ‘their’ way to do things as if it is the only way to do things – and it is for them. The big challenge is to know if this is the best way for you… This book captures the spirit of that message beautifully.
